Nursingat California State University-Sacramento
Graduates earn $116,001/yr in their first year — about 54.0% above the national Nursing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,300K; scenarios range from $1,072K to $1,306K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at CSU Sacramento
Your strong earnings potential from CSU Sacramento's nursing program is deeply tied to California's unique healthcare landscape. The high cost of living statewide, coupled with stringent nurse-to-patient ratios and robust union representation, drives significantly higher wages for registered nurses here compared to most other regions. Sac State's program benefits from strong ties to major local employers like Sutter Health, Kaiser Permanente, and UC Davis Medical Center, offering excellent clinical placements and a direct pipeline into these high-paying systems. This regional demand and the program's strong reputation mean you'll enter a competitive market with ample opportunities for specialization and advancement, particularly into roles like nurse practitioner or anesthetist. To maximize this advantage, actively seek out diverse clinical experiences and aggressively network with your preceptors and faculty throughout your studies.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to CSU Sacramento's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Nursing
How CSU Sacramento stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CSU Sacramento
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CSU Sacramento, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Nursing offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Nursing trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Nursing at CSU Sacramento
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Nursing at California State University-Sacramento?
This program scores 91/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Nursing nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
Will AI replace Nursing careers?
With 39% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $1,071,820 in decade earnings vs $1,305,883 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes California State University-Sacramento's Nursing program stand out?
Ranked #11 of 990 programs nationally, California State University-Sacramento lands in the top 1%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.